Month of May in Honor of Mary (Day 20)
May 20, 2026
Day 20
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (2:1-11)
There was a wedding in Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
“They have no wine.”
And Jesus said to her,
“Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come.”
His mother said to the servers,
“Do whatever he tells you.”
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told the servers,
“Fill the jars with water.”
So they filled them to the brim.
Then Jesus told them,
“Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.”
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
(although the servers who had drawn the water knew),
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
“Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now.”
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.
From the Regulations of the Association of the Clients of Mary Help of Christians by St. John Bosco
The title of Help of Christians attributed to the august Mother of the Saviour, is not something new. In the holy books themselves, Mary is spoken of as the Queen who stands at the right hand of her Divine Son, clothed in gold and surrounded with variety. This golden vesture and radiant surroundings, according to the spirit of the Church, are so many gems and diamonds, or titles, we are accustomed to use in addressing Mary. And so when we call the holy Virgin ‘Help of Christians’, we are only using a special title which befits her, as one of the diamonds on her golden garments. In this sense Mary has been greeted as the Help of the human race from the earliest ages of the world when Adam, after falling into sin, was promised a liberator; to be born of a woman, who would crush the head of the insidious serpent by her sinless foot.
The great Woman, indeed, is symbolized in the tree of life which existed in the earthly paradise; in the ark of Noah which saved the adorers of the true God from the universal deluge; in Jacob’s ladder which reached up to heaven; in Moses’ bush which burned but was not consumed, and which is an allusion to Mary who remained a virgin after childbirth; in the ark of the covenant; in the tower of David which resisted all assaults; in the rose of Jericho; in the sealed fountain; in the garden, well cultivated and guarded by Solomon, she is symbolized in an outpouring of blessings; in Gideon’s fleece. Elsewhere she is called the star of Jacob, splendid as the moon, noble as the sun, rainbow of peace, pupil of God’s eye, rising dawn of consolation, Virgin and Mother of her Lord. These symbols and expressions which the Church applies to Mary manifest the providential designs of God, which he willed to make known even before her birth, as the firstborn of all creatures, the most excellent protectress, help and support and even redresser of the evils to which the human race is subject.
In the New Testament it is not only with symbols and prophecies that she is referred to as the helper of mankind in general, but she is also called the help, support and defense of Christians; and this no longer in figures, no longer is symbolic expressions; in the Gospel everything is reality and fulfillment of the past. Mary is greeted by the archangel Gabriel who calls her ‘full of grace’. God gazes upon the surpassing humility of Mary and raises her to the dignity of the Eternal Word. Jesus, the immense unfathomed God, becomes the Son of Mary. Of her he is born; by her he is educated and fostered, the Eternal Word made flesh obedient in all things to his eternal Mother. At her request, he works his first miracle in Cana in Galilee; on Calvary, she was constituted as the Mother of all Christians. The Apostles took her as their guide and teacher of virtue. With her they gathered in the Cenacle to pray; with her they awaited in recollection the coming of the Holy Spirit. To the Apostles she addressed her last words before her glorious flight to heaven.
And from the height of her throne in glory, she turns her motherly gaze on mankind saying: From this highest and glorious throne I enrich with blessings those who love me and enhance with heavenly favours their treasuries of grace. And hence there began from the time of her Assumption into heaven the constant and uninterrupted convergence of Christians on Mary, nor has it ever been said – as St. Bernard tells us – that anyone ever had trusting recourse to this loving Mother and was left forsaken. This is why every century, every year, every day, and we may say every moment in history has been marked with some great favour granted to those who have invoked her with faith. This too is the reason why every kingdom, every city and town, every family has a church, a chapel, an altar, a statue, a picture or some other sign which calls to mind the universal veneration for Mary, and at the same time recalls some of the many graces granted to those who have had recourse to her in life’s necessities.
The title of Help of Christians attributed to the august Mother of the Saviour, is not something new. In the holy books themselves, Mary is spoken of as the Queen who stands at the right hand of her Divine Son, clothed in gold and surrounded with variety. This golden vesture and radiant surroundings, according to the spirit of the Church, are so many gems and diamonds, or titles, we are accustomed to use in addressing Mary. And so when we call the holy Virgin ‘Help of Christians’, we are only using a special title which befits her, as one of the diamonds on her golden garments. In this sense Mary has been greeted as the Help of the human race from the earliest ages of the world when Adam, after falling into sin, was promised a liberator; to be born of a woman, who would crush the head of the insidious serpent by her sinless foot.
The great Woman, indeed, is symbolized in the tree of life which existed in the earthly paradise; in the ark of Noah which saved the adorers of the true God from the universal deluge; in Jacob’s ladder which reached up to heaven; in Moses’ bush which burned but was not consumed, and which is an allusion to Mary who remained a virgin after childbirth; in the ark of the covenant; in the tower of David which resisted all assaults; in the rose of Jericho; in the sealed fountain; in the garden, well cultivated and guarded by Solomon, she is symbolized in an outpouring of blessings; in Gideon’s fleece. Elsewhere she is called the star of Jacob, splendid as the moon, noble as the sun, rainbow of peace, pupil of God’s eye, rising dawn of consolation, Virgin and Mother of her Lord. These symbols and expressions which the Church applies to Mary manifest the providential designs of God, which he willed to make known even before her birth, as the firstborn of all creatures, the most excellent protectress, help and support and even redresser of the evils to which the human race is subject.
In the New Testament it is not only with symbols and prophecies that she is referred to as the helper of mankind in general, but she is also called the help, support and defense of Christians; and this no longer in figures, no longer is symbolic expressions; in the Gospel everything is reality and fulfillment of the past. Mary is greeted by the archangel Gabriel who calls her ‘full of grace’. God gazes upon the surpassing humility of Mary and raises her to the dignity of the Eternal Word. Jesus, the immense unfathomed God, becomes the Son of Mary. Of her he is born; by her he is educated and fostered, the Eternal Word made flesh obedient in all things to his eternal Mother. At her request, he works his first miracle in Cana in Galilee; on Calvary, she was constituted as the Mother of all Christians. The Apostles took her as their guide and teacher of virtue. With her they gathered in the Cenacle to pray; with her they awaited in recollection the coming of the Holy Spirit. To the Apostles she addressed her last words before her glorious flight to heaven.
And from the height of her throne in glory, she turns her motherly gaze on mankind saying: From this highest and glorious throne I enrich with blessings those who love me and enhance with heavenly favours their treasuries of grace. And hence there began from the time of her Assumption into heaven the constant and uninterrupted convergence of Christians on Mary, nor has it ever been said – as St. Bernard tells us – that anyone ever had trusting recourse to this loving Mother and was left forsaken. This is why every century, every year, every day, and we may say every moment in history has been marked with some great favour granted to those who have invoked her with faith. This too is the reason why every kingdom, every city and town, every family has a church, a chapel, an altar, a statue, a picture or some other sign which calls to mind the universal veneration for Mary, and at the same time recalls some of the many graces granted to those who have had recourse to her in life’s necessities.
Musical Selection (Benedictines of Mary)
Thou art the Star of Morning
In God’s broad sky;
Thou art His Tow’r of Iv’ry
Raised up on high.
Hail, Heaven’s Queen! O lux caelestia!
Thou giver of all gladness,
O plena gratia!
Thou art the Maid and Mother
Long foretold;
In thee all beauty dwelleth,
O House of Gold.
Thou art the shining mirror
Of God’s fair love,
The mighty Help of Christians
Enthroned above.
All men shall rise to bless thee
The ages long,
And angel choirs surround thee
With praise and song.
Prayer
Lord our God,
you chose the Mother of your beloved Son
to be the Mother and help of Christians;
grant that we may live under her protection
and that your Church may enjoy unbroken peace.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Help of Christians)
Help of Christians, pray for us.